Synopsis

Cher walks through New York City as its history unfolds around her. The video begins in a sepia-toned 18th-century setting, then moves through black-and-white imagery and into modern color. As buildings rise and the city changes, people dressed in period clothing join Cher on her journey. A second, ethereal image of Cher dressed in white appears throughout, while aerial views emphasize the scale of Manhattan. By the finale, a crowd representing multiple eras gathers around her in a celebration of New York's continuity and resilience.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed on the streets of Manhattan in December 2001, only a few months after the September 11 attacks.

• The song had originally been written as a love song and recorded before September 11. Cher later felt that its lyrics carried a different meaning and connected more directly with New York's grief and recovery.

• The album liner notes dedicate the song to "the courageous people of New York," specifically mentioning firefighters, police officers, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Governor George Pataki, and Cher's friend Liz.

• The concept was built around a visual tour through New York's history. Reverse time-lapse effects show important city buildings appearing to rise from the ground as the timeline advances.

• The production received special permission from Giuliani's office to play the song aloud on Manhattan streets, where live audio playback had recently been prohibited.

• Cher handled her own makeup during the shoot because her longtime makeup artist, Kevyn Aucoin, was unavailable while dealing with a terminal illness.

• Smoke effects caused concern among people in the area because the attacks were still a recent and painful memory. The crew reportedly managed to complete one final smoke-filled shot after Cher helped persuade the police officer overseeing the intersection.

• A promotional VHS edition was issued in the United States in 2002. An alternate version later appeared on the 2004 DVD compilation "The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection."